


Bill Cody-Army Scout

by Wendymypooh



Series: TYR-A Day In The Life Series [1]
Category: The Young Riders (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 07:36:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17260190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wendymypooh/pseuds/Wendymypooh
Summary: Cody runs into a friend while on a scouting trip.





	Bill Cody-Army Scout

In the spring of 1864, I was scouting ahead for the Seventh Kansas regiment, riding quite a distance ahead of command to pick up all possible information concerning General Price's movements.  
It was mid-afternoon when I rode up to a farmhouse offering food. Stomach rumbling, I entered and was surprised to find a familiar figure sitting at a table eating a bowl of stew and cornbread.  
Sauntering over to his table, I said, "You gone and turn Reb, Jimmy?"  
Startled, James Butler Hickok, glanced up from his stew to study me. A slow smile creased his lips as he said, "By the looks or our similar clothing, I'd guess that if I have, so have you."  
I laughed good-naturedly and sprawled into the chair across from him. "No, seriously, what are you doing here?"  
"Order some grub and we'll talk about it afterward."  
I accepted his invitation and ordered a bowl of stew and cornbread from the lady of the house. Jimmy paid her and the next several minutes passed in silence as we ate our meal. The food was almost as good as Emma and Rachel's cooking.  
Afterward, Jimmy accompanied me outside to where my horse was standing so we could talk in private.  
"Cody, it's been good seeing you."  
"Same here, Jimmy. Now tell me, what are you doing here dressed like that?"  
"I am a scout under General McNeil. For the last few days, I've been with General Marmaduke's division of Price's army, in disguise as a Southern officer from Texas, as you see me now. What brings you around here?"  
"I'm doing some scouting as well under General A. J. Smith. I'm trying to find out about Price's movements."  
"I'll tell you everything I know." Jimmy proceeded to fill me in on everything he knew.  
"Thanks for the information, Jimmy. It'll be very useful in how we make our advance on Price's army. Have you heard anything from the home folks?"  
"Last letter I had from Rachel she said everyone was good."  
I sobered. "Never thought we'd be fighting on opposites from Kid."  
Jimmy chuckled. "Me and Kid have been on opposite sides from the day we met."  
"True, but that usually about Lou. Any time things got sticky, we were always there to back each other up. This is different."  
"Kid had to do what he thought was right, same as us." Jimmy paused and then revealed, "Kid and I came across each other on the battlefield a few months back."  
"What?"  
"Yeah, it was in the middle of some heavy fighting and he was just suddenly there. We stared in shock silence with our guns pointed at each other. There was a moment when I wondered if I could pull the trigger if he did, but lucky for us we didn't have the opportunity to find out.  
A cannonball landed close enough by us to knock us off our feet and make our ears ring, but not close enough to actually injure us. Last I saw of Kid, he was running away."  
"I'm glad. I don't know how our family would recover if one of you had killed the other."  
"It still might now. The war changes people, Cody. Kid might harbor hatred towards us when all of this is over with."  
I shook my head. "There might be tension at first, but we'll get through it. We're family, Jimmy. Hold onto that. Hopefully, the war will be over soon, and we will all be reunited."  
"I hope so, Cody. Take care of yourself." Hickok hugged me and then I was astride my horse riding away.  
I hoped to hell I would see him again. I hoped I would see Kid, too.


End file.
